Koi-Koi Japan
- April 26, 2015
- Zoo Corporation
- 1117h median play time
Get on Steam"Koi-Koi Japan" is a steam game that teaches players how to play Hanafuda, a traditional Japanese card game, with a focus on its most popular variation, Koi Koi. The game features a simple but competitive gameplay of strategy and forming card combinations, with a tutorial for beginners. Its design showcases beautiful Japanese aesthetics with floral and animal themes.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game is easy to learn and has a great tutorial that helps new players understand the rules of Hanafuda and Koi-Koi.
- The graphics and presentation are visually appealing, with beautiful card designs and a relaxing soundtrack.
- The game offers a fun and addictive experience, especially for those interested in Japanese culture and card games.
- The AI can feel rigged at times, with noticeable luck swings that can frustrate players.
- There is a lack of multiplayer options, making it difficult to find opponents online.
- The game can become repetitive, with limited content in single-player modes and no customizable rules.
- music53 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, described as relaxing and fitting the game's atmosphere, with options for customization and a variety of soundtracks. While some players find the music enjoyable and soothing, others note that it can become repetitive over time. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the gameplay experience, particularly during key moments like calling "koi-koi," where the tempo increases to add excitement.
“The game's soundtrack is pretty good and relaxing, and ramps up when someone calls koi-koi to add some excitement.”
“The music just fits the game perfectly; the traditional Japanese sound is sure to be a treat to your ears.”
“The music is relaxing to listen to, creating a pleasant atmosphere while playing.”
“The music grows a little repetitive.”
“While the music is decent, it's repetitive, and can be slid down after a while in favor of your computer's media options.”
“The music can be a bit repetitive, but has been improved immensely in the latest version.”
- graphics31 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful Japanese artwork and aesthetic appeal, particularly in the card designs and animations. However, some users express disappointment with the resolution quality on 4K displays, noting that it can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the visuals are described as pleasant and well-suited to the game's theme, contributing to a relaxing gameplay atmosphere.
“I find this game relaxing with pleasant graphics.”
“The graphics are beautiful.”
“The presentation of this game is beautiful, featuring great artwork and traditional Japanese paintings.”
“Then there's the graphics, which suck because I'm running in 4K resolution.”
“The graphics are simple and clean, sound is alright.”
“While the anime style avatars add very little to the gameplay, and the unlockable artwork is not featured in any sort of gallery mode, this game is a solid and thoroughly enjoyable experience.”
- gameplay24 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its outstanding mechanics, smooth execution, and visually appealing artwork, making it both fun and addictive. Players appreciate the variety of game modes, including solo and multiplayer options, though some express frustration over the lack of card selection confirmation. Overall, it offers a solid experience for both newcomers and those looking to deepen their understanding of hanafuda games.
“Nice display, love the background music during the match, gives a variety of game modes to play from, and the gameplay is outstanding in its own way.”
“The gameplay is accurate and fun, artwork on cards just like the real cards, and the art style overall is pretty.”
“The gameplay is solid, fast-paced, and fun.”
“The biggest gripe I have with the gameplay is that there's no confirmation of play and the ability to go back and select a different card, so make sure your selection is what you want.”
“This makes sense for playing with strangers, but with friends this just kind of screws up gameplay with people who like to think about their moves.”
“I do agree with the negative review below that says the card movement is a bit choppy but gameplay is still solid.”
- story8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game lacks a traditional story mode, focusing instead on gameplay with friends or solo, which some players find disappointing. While there are hints of potential narrative elements, such as character-specific moves and the history behind game mechanics, the overall experience is primarily centered on gameplay rather than a cohesive storyline. Players express a desire for a more engaging narrative, similar to visual novels, to enhance the experience.
“It's an interesting story.”
“It's a fun game in and of itself, but it's not a new game by any stretch of the imagination, and although the interface is cute and the story mode with the bots is kind of fun.”
“There is no story mode or anything; you can simply play hanafuda alone or with your friends.”
“It would be nice if the game also told the story behind different hands you can form with the animals and the flowers.”
“- There is no storyline.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game offers solid replayability through its multiplayer features and postcard collecting campaign, which many players find enjoyable and engaging. However, the lack of local co-op or online multiplayer options is seen as a drawback, and some players feel that the collection mode could benefit from additional depth to enhance replay value. Overall, it successfully captures the essence of traditional gameplay while providing a unique experience.
“Multiplayer and the postcard collectible campaign make the game really replayable.”
“This game seemed intimidating every time I tried it through any other method, but this game made it an easy, enjoyable experience and has some good replay value with the postcard collecting. I would definitely recommend it for anyone trying to learn this game.”
“No local co-op or online multiplayer is disappointing, but collecting postcards across Japan adds some replay value.”
“- The game at one stage said the game is played across Japan with house rules and it would be great if they had that here, especially with their collection mode which honestly needs a bit more substance for it to have more replay value.”
“That would have been a strong feature that adds a lot of replayability, but overall I love when traditional games like this get to see the light of day on Steam and gain a wider audience.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by amusing AI behavior, such as the CPU opponent's persistent declaration of "koi-koi" even when winning, which adds a comedic twist to gameplay. Additionally, character interactions, like Tsunade's playful banter, contribute to the lighthearted atmosphere, making the game enjoyable despite its complex rules and card designs.
“Really funny card game... the cards look kinda confusing and the rules are insane... but I love it <3”
“The only exception in the last session/month of December is when the CPU opponent will always declare koi-koi if it's behind on points at the start of the session/month, which is funny because it will continue to declare koi-koi even after it has gathered enough points to win the game.”
“Tsunade (chuckling): let's see if those skills can match up to mine, Erza!”
- character development3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is visually appealing, with varied and attractive character designs. However, the single-player AI opponents are criticized for their dullness and lack of personality, missing opportunities for engaging interactions and banter.
“The character designs are nice and varied.”
“The visuals are great, including the UI, character designs, postcards, and card designs.”
“Single player AI opponents are dull and lack character. The absence of banter, phrases, or real character design makes this feel like a lost opportunity.”
“The character development is shallow, leaving players with little emotional connection to the protagonists.”
“NPCs feel one-dimensional and fail to evolve throughout the game, making interactions feel repetitive and uninspired.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive quality, featuring beautiful graphics and animations that evoke a sense of traditional Japanese culture. The background music complements the visuals, enhancing the overall experience and creating a pleasant ambiance.
“The atmosphere is nice; you can get a taste of Japanese traditional culture.”
“The graphics are quite pretty, the animations are nice, and the music sets a lovely atmosphere.”
“Nice atmosphere and background music.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its smooth performance and appealing visuals, with well-designed menus and options. The only noted drawback is the absence of a resizable window feature.
“The menus and options are great (only gripe being the lack of a resizable window), and it's very well optimized and pretty to look at.”
“Music is nice and it runs smoothly.”
